I Know I Can’t Earn the Savior!
Work Equals Wages

What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.

When we receive a paycheck for a job accomplished, we should be grateful for the paycheck. But I doubt many of us feel our employer gave us a gift when he handed us our pay. He was completing the obligation he owed when he hired us to work. In other words, a gift would be an unexpected extra, out of the kindness of his heart. But our wages are simply part of the contract we both entered into when we were hired.

The Apostle Paul is using this illustration to help us see the difference between “grace” and “wages.” No one can earn heaven as a wage. It’s too expensive and we are too “weak” to ever obtain God’s eternal reward. If I can’t earn it, then I have but one hope: That I might be “gifted” it! The Gospel says that, indeed, I can receive this wonderful gift. It does take something of me: Faith! When I trust God who justifies the wicked, my faith is credited as righteousness.

When Jesus came to earth as a baby, born to a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem, a Savior was born! For those who “received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Do you know what I know? Do you know you can’t earn the Savior? He can’t be bought with good deeds or larger donations to charity! No, He comes to all who will be humble enough to believe and receive a “gift” from God.